I've got a steel benchmade. It's so heavy I never forget it after putting it down. So I haven't lost it unlike every other pen. And it's very useful as a can opener and at prying open oysters in the park.

I'm partial to the County Comm "embassy pen" line. I'd call them "semi-tactical" because they were made for the military but were not specifically designed to be weaponized. Rock solid pens that use fisher space pen refills. Downside is unscrewing the lid is hard with one hand, and sometimes it unscrews in your pocket.

I've tried the executive Sharpy and mods to ink pens to swap out the plastic parts. Overall, it hasn't been working in retail. It's another pen that I've got money in, which is commonly borrowed and all too frequently kept. Not loaning it is a serious breach of etiquette, too, which presents sociological flags. It's already hard enough not loaning the clipped knife in my pocket - but I'm not letting a Boker Magnum or SnG walk out the door for someone to pry a fuse or turn a screw with.

Tactical pens that look like they could survive an artillery strike seem to be the fashion, Kershaw had a combo kit this last Xmas. Once I got over the cool factor, I decided they are too high profile and an aberration, like four wheel drive trucks with raptor tooth grilles.

In the spirit of testing, I'd hammer them thru 2x4's, car hoods, or pick up some calf skulls and post the pics. Me, I'd just grab the ink pen I do have and use it on a soft target - but I would also be in such a clueless state that an aggressive predator with ill intent was close at hand, I might not be able to do anything in time.

I'm out shopping, wonder how many I can "borrow" for testing? Hmm. Haven't ever seen anyone with one, might present a difficulty . . .

I like the Schrade Second Generation Tactical Pen. It's large and tough enough for defensive use, has a secure screw cap, doesn't look like a weapon, and is a decent writer.

There's basically two types of tact pens: caps and twist. Caps are good so long as they are secure. Some caps are snap on and fit loosely. Not good while being used hard. Twist pens are okay but need to be twisted tight with the writing tip exposed, otherwise the pen is loose.

Pointy but not sharp, non-twist lid (friction... that's the one weak point; the friction fit wears down after about a year, and it loosens, but I've solved that with a thin coat of clear nail polish inside the cap), takes Parker (and therefore Fisher Space Pen) refills.

I painted the clip black to cover up the Smith & Wesson part and haven't looked back since.

The Schrade Second Gen and the County Comm Embassy Pen are the most "normal" looking pens that I've found. The Schrade, however, has that pointy end that is not necessary in my opinion. And my steel Embassy Pen is too heavy and a little short.

I wish Schrade would come out with a third generation pen that is the same size as the second gen but with a straight plain barrel.

I've handled several of the S&W and only one MTech. My common concern about them is that they don't fill the hand sufficiently for my liking, but I'm used to the Timberline. The MTech had a plastic tip and wasn't comfortable in the hand. The S&W was pretty slender compared to the others.

Initially, I liked the S&W for the same reasons I disliked it: the one I bought is a "penlight", and though I thought that meant it has a pen built in, it doesn't! I haven't had time to thoroughly T&E these yet, but it's looking like all the rest partially unscrew in the process of opening them.

Since the S&W doesn't actually have a pen, I thought that might mean an overall stronger platform. Unfortunately, the light portion is twist on/off, which means that the user just unscrews the back instead of the front of the light. :banghead:

I have a stainless Benchmade. I like the heft. By the way, it write really nice. It's expensive enough, I never loan it out, so I'll never lose it. Problem is, it's so pretty I'd hate to ever use it, say to break out a car window or some such thing.

I've flown for years carrying the Timberline pen and I find it gets no attention if it is in my laptop case in the pen holder beside the flashlight. OTOH if I leave it loose or in a jacket pocket it gets looked at all the time and I have to tell the TSA officer "The cap pulls straight off, its a pen." It has made it through US security each time, but I've lost it to international security about half the time (and had to replace it).

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